This airport is awful. I've connected through, and ended at, many airports across the country and this one is by far the worst. To make the experience better, I had to catch my plan through gate 35X in the basement of one of the terminals. It's notorious for being the gate you must take a bus on a tarmac out to your awaiting plane. You also need to wait on a bus to take you to a different terminal if connecting elsewhere and if you're in a hurry good luck making your flight! I'll avoid this airport like the plague in the future.
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This airport, and US Airways hub is terrible. Confusing layout, with rude employees hard to understand. Gate closes10 minutes before departure. "It says that on the paper tickets" the rep cites. I don't have a paper ticket, it's in my email and doesn't say that at all. "I can print you a paper ticket" She barks. WHAT THE... do I need a paper ticket now for. The plane is in sight but they won't bring me to it. I cannot think of anything good to say about this airport or US Airways other than there is a nice view of DC. So many customers missed their flights AND THEY WERE WAITING AT THE GATE. Every name that was paged was pronounced by someone who appeared to have a 3rd grade education. I heard endless oversold announcements. One flight had to kick 5 people because it was to heavy! Are you kidding me.
I had an enjoyable experience here! I was flying Delta from here to Atlanta, and not only was the wait time short, but the staff was all very friendly! The gate agents were very helpful when I was needing help getting a seat by my 8 year old daughter!
The important part of an airport is clear directions/signage and ease of use. Recently neither are hitting home. Flying in on a small jet late at night and having to wait on the bus on the tarmac to get to the terminal is just a pain. Moving all shuttles and not indicating on the ground transportation signs...only the signs once you get to where they used to be is unacceptable. The off airport rental cars still are confusing to navigate and getting out of the airport is just as confusing.
Easy access in and out if you are visiting DC area. Airport lacks strong management clearly. Don t fly during rain season because you will be delayed for hours. They don t have any alternative plans to manage weather. It is rather embarrassing to have a poorly managed airport right next to the capital!
It is small, clean and easy to use, it is also quite central so you don't have to drive for hours. It is a good airport to visit Virginia or Washington D.C.
You must leave one controlled area and repass through security to change concourses. All to make a connection on the same domestic airline. Food choices are sparse.
Wish I could give this place no stars. I understand the airport may be under construction; however, no method to the madness. The system seems unsecure and is not user friendly.
Honestly it was a pretty decent airport, it s a hub for American Airlines. They have some good food options before and after security but there are better shops before security like the Smithsonian store and more, after security is just newsstands like at other airports. There is a WMTA station at the airport at the B/C terminals. My only complaint is that there is no moving walkways in the shopping area since the airport is very long. But this airport beats Washington Dulles as the best airport in DC.
I was dropping off my teenagers to visit their Dad for the Holidays. As we were headed to the Security Gate near Southwest Airlines, I had my Autistic son's tickets in my hand and was trying to explain to him where to go next. There were two airport employees checking tickets and directing traffic; I asked one of the employees (an older African American man) very politely whether or not we were in the right area. He ignored my question and abruptly said, "thats not your ticket". While I tried to explain they were for my son he angrily replied, "Give him the ticket, whats the matter with you?" Shocked, I proceeded to hand my son his tickets and hugged my kids goodbye. Again, the man screamed "You need to move!". Now, I may understand if it was busy. However, it was roughly 4:45 am and there was no one behind us. It was a terrible goodbye for our family. I've experienced terrible customer service before, but this was very upsetting!!!
I usually fly from IAD but had to use DCA in the recent trip. I was planning to use the economy parking but it was full at 6 AM. I was told I needed a reservation?! Had to spent more money at the terminal parking. Also while coming back they were using only one area for the bags from all the southwest flights. Took me an hour to get the bags!
Loved airport until my bag got tampered with & one of the workers at "SOUTHWEST" took it upon themselves to break my lock on my bag and try to steal my stuff thank goodness I had nothing of value in my luggage I've flown with this bag and lock 4times before with no problem& (i actually saw my bag being put on the ramp when I got seated on the plane before take-off and thought I noticed my lock gone but I said "naaawhhh " its on there... but apparently I was right!!) First of all my flight was delayed 3times so they had plenty of time to go through our luggage and 2nd of all it was a bright "PINK VICTORIA'S SECRET LOCK" so it DEF stood out& 3rd now that I'm trying to make a complaint naturally I'm getting the run around. So airport says its a TSA issues and that it would be a note/letter stating that they checked it but there was no note because it wasn't TSA it was a WORKER!!! And every Dept. I speak to is saying its the next Dept. issue... Look I'm from DC Born & Raised I now reside in Florida but, I've heard stories for YEARS from folks who know folks who have worked there& gotten plenty of items from peoples luggage at the airport so it DOES & IS HAPPENING TRUST ME!!! So Folks if u can... take your bag on plane with you because the next person may not be so lucky, Fortunately nothing was taken but never again will I check my luggage not at Reagan until they screen their workers better!!! But until then I will not give up on making this complaint because it makes no sense how people can just take what they want and think there will be no consequences I will continue to call and complain until someone listens and I will get to the bottom of this & hopefully prevent this from happening to the next person!!!
My favorite part of traveling is when I'm taking my bags to the TSA screeners. They're always very unpleasant and unfriendly. I wasn't sure if I was the one who forced them to work but because of that I think I received kinder stares on patrol in Iraq. Attempting to be the friendlier and nicer person will only get you tuned out further. Don't worry they're handling my possessions after I've paid a few dollars to get them checked. Whoever reads this take note, it's not your fault they just hate everyone equally.
My favorite airport in the DC area. National is so convenient and the security lines though too long most times, move fairly quickly. Great place to get in/out of the city.
Had good experience. The rental car companies are closed by. Free shuttles take you to terminals conveniently. Airport staff here are very helpful and friendly. When taking off, you may still see the National Malls, and the tower.
Airport is extremely dirty, rude employees and the set up of the entire airport is complex. Had to go through two checkpoints to get to one gate. No ac system.
Great places to eat. Healthy food choices, not so healthy food choices and in between. Highly expensive, there are even two clothing stores that i saw. The staff in the airport and the TSA were very nice and helpful. No one was rude, i waited in the security line for about 20 minutes, but it was well worth it. I had a cobversation with some of the TSA officers and a lot of them are in school and just trying to get their life started, many are very young and others are already retired. Such a versatile environment and very welcoming.
It is a great airport, the staff is very helpful. There are a few places where you could grab a cup of coffee, including Dunkin Donuts. Overall, it is a well-maintained airport.
There is always a rush at the airport. The security lines are long no matter when you go. Recommend applying for TSA Precheck so you can easily go through security
When compared with the USA, they re moderately efficient. When compared with the rest of the world, they re miserably inefficient and spectacularly slow.
Three terminals, easy to navigate. Central location, you can get to DCA from almost anywhere in a half hour or less. I don't fault an airport for the TSA being there. Just a part of life. Good food options, from small snacks to full meals. All in all, it's an airport so your flight choice usually isn't review based. This review is pointless but here it is.
What I like about Reagan airport (DCA) is how easy it is to access quickly from its parking garages and the metro. You can simply get there and within minutes are in the main terminal, of which there only is one. The check-in counters are well-spread out throughout the top and bottom floors and all quickly accessible even for a facility with the size and offerings as DCA. There are lovely stores before the security gates and after them too.
On the negative side the rideshare and shuttle area is a huge mess compared to other airports I've been to. The roads around DCA also are an extremely weird and confusing labyrinth, making it extremely easy to take a wrong exit and detoured for a significant amount of time at a moment's notice - I think this is due to its construction in such a super densely populated and yet geographically limited (by the river) area. Furthermore the way the terminal areas are broken up means that if there is a gate change you may suddenly need to find yourself exiting security to enter the terminal security gate at another one of the security gates, resulting in a potentially worrying delay.
The airport generally is a solid and good place and far more accessible and navigable than Dulles as it puts everything together as much as one can. Definitely take into account however the potential above disruptions.
DCA has been a practical airport for the past 5 years I've been using it, whether for business or leisure. During my last couple visits, the airport has been lacking a lot of attention at many levels. Starting with the site, it has been undergoing constructions for a long time now, which is slowing the traffic flow at the airport. Not to generalise, yet the airport staff has been lacking attention to details as well as professionalism, for instance: organizing lanes at ticketing or while going through security is one of the most successful ways to keep the airport running properly. Small changes can make the big difference. Looking forward to a better performance in the future.
Not the best airport I've seen. Although it's decent, however, the architecture looks a bit outdated. Roadside drop off and parking is pretty easy with sufficient space for luggage disembarking. Airline Officials are always ready to help. Delta air was very helpful, friendly and efficient.
Expect ATC delays, due to close proximity of the nations capital. Security always backed up, so if you have TSA pre check, would make your travel experience better.
Most efficient airport I've ever used - in the world. I travel regularly and have for decades. The lines move very quickly and the TSA staff here are uniquely efficient and move with a purpose. Other major airports could learn something from DCA.
Really great airport but very friendly service and staff TSA was really fast to get passed and highly recommended food and lots of gates to check out this airport in DC and really good restaurants to check out with good food from flags like Edit:it is a big airport to fit heck loads of store and I had a fun time,we let our grandma borrow our car airport. I love this airport to much. I love D.C! My time there was really good when we were heading to Toledo airport it took a hour or so to get to Toledo, also the security is really nice,when we were heading home we were talking about our dog at home,we saw the pentagon on our way from NIH while we were heading to the airport to get whIle I was sleeping on the bus,best airport ever we saw,huge airport and no active shooters happen in this airport, we loved the airport. We even saw nice ads and pictures on screens that we liked and good planes while we got a ride on the runway of it and looking at it is really nice staff that helped us get to our gate. I had much fun at the D.C airport and no annoying people that bother family s. I Like this airport really huge for lots of planes and restaurants to see like,McDonald s and Boer Head to eat at. Security is the best ever, as we did tons of traveling to airport to airport,we were heading to NIH. TSA pre check is really good if you have to get to your flight ASAP or you just want to get home after on flight. But if you wanna get to your gate use the app so you can just get past TSA just use the pre check to get to your gate early. Love this place soon as I got here. Like this place so much! Soon as I was here, I even just look at the shop's and look what they have, and the name! I love the metro ! What goes on talking, waiting for a metro is really nice to see. Some people waiting for their plan watching them talk,sit and use their phone is fun if you are waiting for the metro or bus and plane is fun. I m thinking about going here again! Even if it takes time finding our gate, and going though security slowish, I still wanna go here forever! Even work here! Also the security is nice to anyone that has a wheelchair to go somewhere, even canes. I still like this place VERY much, I wish I go here again sometime, If I do, I m gonna be super happy! I did not much like the wait to get on the plane. Also it was fun to see other kids having fun, eating and stuff. I liked the metro too. Same as the plane waiting. Also why I loved the place so much that I walked around the place and checked out nearly everything, we had some food too. Being there is fun, you can meet new friends, even get to know others. Still, I had a very fun time, as you can see, all the stores I saw, food stores, etc, they had very good food for sell! I liked the checkpoints, and scanners how they looked, they were very good to see, as also, all the gates, walking and talking that happen was very fun, I saw others use there phone very much, the plane rides were very good.
I don't like to fly, but I love this airport. The architecture is beautiful, the terminals are easy to understand, and they have some good restaurants and other eateries. My only wish is that there would be a free one-hour parking - you have to pay $6 for the first hour.
Nice airport. Very large and easy to navigate around. A little tricky finding the USO but other than that, I liked my few hours that I stayed here. Plenty of restaurants to choose from. Pizza, Thai, Starbucks, chili, all kinds of choices.
Luggage was fairly easy, but VERY RUDE airport personnel!!! Traveling with children with disabilities is a challenge by itself and the people working here won't make it any easier. Awful TSA personnel as well. I witnessed in the elevator how a worker pushing the wheelchair of an older lady, YELLED at her husband to get off the elevator, they clearly weren't from here, so he didn't knew where he should have gotten off! Horrible all around. Will never travel through this airport ever again. Much rather go through BWI. Make yourself a favor, if traveling with passengers with disabilities, DO NOT TRAVEL FROM HERE!
DCA is the most convenient airport option in the DC metro. While I definitely have a Love/Hate relationship with this airport -- this airport is close to DC, easily accessible, and has many direct flights. Yes, it could look nicer; yes, its a bit small; and yes it's a bit dated -- but with all of this said, its not dulles. Dulles being in the middle of nowhere, on a toll road, and rarely having direct flights. Stick to DCA for your best priced and most accessible option in DC.
PROTIP: If you have some flex in your schedule, also research BWI for flights. Its a 45 minute train ride (~15 bucks roundtrip) and a 5-10 min free shuttle from the train station to the airport. I find BWI tends to have cheaper flights at times -- so its worth a look.
This is by far the most convenient airport to DC (the Metro comes right to the airport, so no need for expensive taxi rides or transfers to special "AirTrains" or Amtrak), and its security lines seem to move faster than those at Dulles and BWI. I also love flying via DCA for the views of DC on takeoff/landing - the vista is INCREDIBLE, both during the day and at night. Flying along the Potomac, you can see all the major landmarks: the Capitol, the White House, the Washington Monument, the Jefferson/Lincoln/WWII memorials, Georgetown and the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian museums on the mall, the Pentagon, and as far as Bethesda & Silver Spring.
Aside from being excellent for travel, the airport's interior showcases some of my favorite architecture in the city. The airy, expansive main concourse is filled with light from the three-story floor-to-ceiling windows, a giant glass wall looking over the airfield; and the steel beams are painted a warm and cheery canary yellow (when is the last time you heard "warm and cheery" associated with an airport?).
Four stars (rather than five) because food options are limited post-security.
Meh... Wayfinding could be easier, but isn't a nightmare. Staff doesn't really know what they're talking about. If you ask for directions, one person will tell you one thing and then another person will tell you the opposite. Not very impressed with this airport. I feel like a major airport in our nation's capital should be much nicer.
The airport is easy to navigate and there are plenty of good food options inside the terminals. Security is pretty good about getting people through quickly bit lines can be long especially on Sunday so be prepared.
Standard accommodations for travelers. No on site hotel but there are several close by.
Be prepared for Washington, DC traffic if coming here from the south.
Access roads are well marked but the interstate system is a hodge podge and can lead to a trip into Maryland.
As for facilities it's ok. The standard overpriced sundry shops, coffee and bars. The latter offers a chance to meet other road warriors or itinerant travelers.
It's very clean everywhere including restroom. I have precheck, I insert my ID card into a little machine to identify myself. Then I scan my boarding pass on another reader. And that's it. There were very little contact with staff. It's very safe.
They had the worst bathrooms ive ever seen in a airport my flight got delayed 3 times and the staff didn't care when a old lady almost cracked her head open on liquid on the ground everything seemed very disorganized i travel alot so ik what to look for you'd expect a airport named after one of our presidents to be one of the best like JFK
Small airport, but efficient. I loved the fact that when I checked in for my flight at the AA Kiosk someone was readily to help me. They knew I was lost in regards to where to place my luggage, so the agent immediately approached me and told me Sir drop the bag where you see those TSA agents and you may head to the gate. WOW ! that simple. I wish every airport was this simple. TSA lines before boarding also quite fast !
Great Airport I am wondering how well the Airports are going to function as This Trump Shutdown continues............How long will the TSA work without a paycheck...........Just Sayin
First time going through this airport and dang, it was confusing as hell. This is a crappy airport. They can't even correctly display which gate my flight should be leaving from: 16, then 18, then 20.. Even as of now, as I am boarding, the gate my flight is supposed to go from is still not showing my flight. They suck!! Awful and confusing airport
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